Abstract: This paper aims to study the pathogen isolation and identification of a kind of disease causing browning on tea buds. The pathogenic strain was obtained according to Koch's Rule. The results of morphological observation of strains and the rDNA ITS molecular identification under the condition of PDA culture showed that the pathogen was a fungus of phoma. The pathogenic strain was further identified in according to the identification procedures of phoma. After 7 days on the OA and MA culture medium, the average diameter of colonies was 6.0-6.4 cm. Pycnidia were globose with 1-2 ostioles, glabrous or with some hyphal outgrowths. Conidia were ellipsoidal, aseptate, usually with two polar guttules, mostly (4.9-6.3) μm× (2.1-2.8) μm in size. The NaOH reaction was positive on OA and MA, the colour became yellow-green. The characteristics described above showed that the pathogen was preliminarily identified as Phoma adianticola. This disease of tea buds caused by P. adianticola may be a new disease of tea plant. According to the symptoms of infection, this disease was temporarily described as the buds-browning disease of tea.

Key words: phoma, phoma adianticola, tea plant